Book holders and/or supports equipped with optical scanners are known and have been in use for a number of years. For example, a U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,660 of Ard discloses a scanner assembly. As disclosed, a V-shaped scanning head, a book support and a scanner that includes the V-shaped scanning head and the book support. The V-shaped scanning head comprises a pair of scanning surfaces angled relative to each other to form a V-shaped scanning face. An image capturing means preferably in the form of a pair of angled photoelectric detector arrays or a pivotable scanning arrangement is provided for capturing images of both sides of a book, the images being received through the scanning face, Processing circuitry, typically provided in the scanning head, processes the signals received from the image capturing means. The book can be supported on a moveable book support that is capable of adopting a V-shape configuration to support the open book.
A more recent U.S. Pat. No. 7,551,333 of Chien discloses a book scanner for scanning two adjacent pages in a bound volume. The scanner includes a housing, two image scanning units and a conveying device. The housing has two scanning tables connected to each other. An included angle is formed between the two scanning tables and a crest line is thrilled at a connection of the two scanning tables. The two image scanning units are movably disposed in the housing to project a scanning light thorough a window of each scanning table respectively, so as to scan images of the two adjacent pages. The two image scanning units are connected to the conveying device to be supported and moved relative to the corresponding scanning tables in a direction parallel to the crest line so as to be moved simultaneously and to scan the images of the two adjacent pages respectively.
Finally, a U.S. Pat. No. 7,636,182 of Guo discloses a scanning table and scanning device. The scanning table comprises a table surface and two sides. The scanning device comprises a first transparent case provided on the table surface, a second transparent case provided on one side and adjacent to the first transparent case, a first scanning module provided inside the first transparent case, a second scanning module provided inside the second transparent case, and a transporting device for operatively connecting the first scanning module and the second scanning module with each other and scanning the left and right inner pages of a book. With the above arrangement, the user can read on the table while easily scanning the contents of the book without damaging the book.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a need and a potential commercial market for an improved book support and optical scanner assembly in accordance with the present invention. There should be a demand for such assemblies because they enable individuals to listen to the spoken words from a book without using their eyes and enable those with impaired eyesight to benefit and/or enjoy the printed word.
In addition to the above, an assembly in accordance with the present invention enables a reader to read a text in any position and at any time. Such assemblies also provide a rapid automated transition from one page to the next. Further, one embodiment of the invention enables an individual to listen to a book in one language even though it is written in another language.